Shrooms History

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Mehling, Randi. Hallucinogens. Ed. David J. Triggle. United States of America: Chelsea House, 2003


The use of shrooms can be documented as early as 7000 to 9000 years ago on cave walls in the Sahara Desert. There are also giant mushroom statues that have been found in Guatemala and El Salvador which date back to 1000 BC. "Presumably these statues were erected to pay homage to the spiritual powers of the psychedelic mushrooms" (Mehling ?). More evidence of the early use of hallucinogens can be found in Chile where hallucinogenic snuff and paraphernalia were excavated at an archaelogical site dating 320- 910 AD.
Religions and cultures, such as the Aztecs and some Native American churches, use hallucinogens to gain a more spiritual connection with the gods and their inner selves. The Amantia Muscaria, or Fly Agaric Mushroom, is one such mushroom that has been used throughout history. This mushroom has been used throuhout the ages as part of shamanic rituals. It is believed that when these people migrated from Siberia to America 15000 years ago, they brought the Fly Agaric Mushroom with them. Other sources have found that Norse Vikings used to take a shroom to induce an "ecstatic reckless rage" (Mehling ?) from which they earned the name "berserkers". The Hindu holy book, Rig Veda, mentions soma, which is thought to have been the Fly Agaric Mushroom.

Fun and totally disgusting fact:

Reindeer will fight just to have the chance to eat the mushroom.
After the consumption of the shroom, the deer's urine is just as potent as the mushroom.

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